Shallura Week 2k16
by Labyrinth Runner
Summary: Just my one shots for Shallura week
1. Day 1: Recovery

Allura paced outside the healing pod. Shiro was _supposed_ to be released any minute now. She was running out of patience, but knew better than to eject him early. She wanted to make sure he was completely healed physically. He'd still need a couple of days to recover and rest, but his injuries that he sustained in the fight against Zarkon should be gone.

He'd been in there for days since she'd found him unconscious. It had killed her to have to carry him back into the castle, for his fellow paladins to see their fearless leader broken like that. Allura turned away from the pod. Staring at him would not make him emerge sooner. She decided to pace by the door instead.

"Allura, what are you doing? You weren't like this when the other paladins were in the pods. Why is Shiro different?" she whispered to herself.

"Why _am_ I different, Princess?" a voice asked her. She turned to see the black paladin lean against the control panel for support.

"You shouldn't be walking around so soon. You're still in recovery," she softly chided as she walked towards him.

"I feel fine," he said with a half-hearted smile before his face went completely serious, "how are they others?"

"Healed. They only had minor injuries so they needed only a day of healing, whereas you needed a week," she said as she draped his arm over her shoulder. "Now, come. You should be resting in your room."

"Haven't I rested enough?" he teased. Allura sighed as she walked him towards his room.

"You never did answer my question," he said as she helped him lower himself into his bed.

"What question was that?" she asked with a small smile.

"Why am I different?" he murmured.

"Because you're you," she simply said as she went to walk towards the door. Shiro's hand held her arm to keep her from leaving.

"Please, stay. If I need to rest, at least keep me company for a while. I _am_ in recovery," he smiled.

"Well, I _suppose_ I could stay," she smiled back as she laid down next to him. Shiro wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer so she could use his chest as a pillow. They sat in comfortable silence as she lazily traced circles on his chest, relishing in the way it felt so right to be there in his arms.

Allura finally broke the silence. "You had me worried. I was afraid that I had lost you when I found you unconscious. I don't think I could handle losing you," she whispered.

"You'd still have everyone else," he replied. "I'm sure you could find another black paladin."

"They wouldn't be _you_ ," she said pointedly. "Shiro, I-"

" _I know._ I do, too," he said as he stroked her cheek. "It's just, we're in the middle of a war. We can't allow ourselves to be each other's weakness."

"Shiro, regardless of whether or not you feel the same, you _will_ be my weakness," she told him as she sat up to look into his face.

"Allura, you're a _princess_. I'm just a pilot from Earth," he sighed.

"Not anymore. You're a pilot of Voltron. You're _special_. _Can't you see that?_ You're all so much more than _just_ humans. You're _heroes_ ," she said emphatically. Then, in a quieter voice, she added, "You're my family."

Shiro sat up and pulled her into his lap. "You're our family now, too. You're a role model for Pidge, and you look out for all of them. They're lucky to have you in their lives. _I'm_ lucky to have you."

Shiro gently cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb before turning her face towards him.

"This is a terrible idea," she softly teased.

"I know it is, but you're right. We'll always be each other's weakness, regardless. I can't help the fact that I love you more than a paladin should love a princess," Shiro said as he closed the distance between their lips. Her lips felt soft against his. He could feel her turn in his lap and wrap her arms around his neck to draw him closer. Allura pressed her lips back against his in a way that matched his boldness. She wanted to show him how she felt about him, how it felt to wait while he was recovering, how it felt when she thought she lost him, and how she feels about him. She wanted him to know that she loved him more than a princess should love her paladins. She needed this, needed _him_. They broke away panting for air before smiling at each other.

"That was…" Shiro trailed off, "Wow. I think your kiss helped me fully recover." He flashed her an awkward smirk and she started to laugh.

"Takashi Shirogane, that sounded like something Lance would have said," she said in between laughs. "However, it's much cuter when you do it. Now, in all seriousness, you need rest. Coran needs me on the bridge. I'm already much later than I told him I'd be. Rest well, paladin. You've earned it."

She gently kissed his forehead before crawling out of his lap and walking out the door. She decided to take the long way to the bridge. She needed to stall so she could come up with an excuse for being late. However, she was the princess. She could do what she wanted anyway. It was her castle. She smiled to herself as she faced the doors. Behind them would be a Coran full of questions that she didn't want to answer, and yet, the thought of what the future could hold for her and Shiro didn't bother her as much as it should have.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright guys, so I completely missed out on Voltron week. Here's hoping I can finish Shallura week. All of these are prewritten since I'll be moving into college during the actual week. Love you all!**


	2. Day 2: Tradition Bridge

Allura stood in front of her mirror and smoothed down her dress. As a child she had always dreamed of this day, her wedding day. She wasn't marrying a prince, but her paladin knight was more than she could have ever asked for. Takashi Shirogane made her the happiest Altean woman in the universe. Then again, she was the _only_ Altean woman in the universe. She missed her people. When she'd dreamt of this day, all those years ago, she always thought her people would be there to celebrate with her. Most of all, she'd thought her father would be there to give her away. Sure, she loved Coran almost like a second father, and he was all she had, but he just wasn't her father. This planet, Earth, was beautiful, but it wasn't Altea. With a frustrated sigh she yanked the veil from her head and tossed her crown onto the bed. What right had she to wear a crown here? What was she the princess of anymore? Her people, her culture, her kingdom, they were all gone.

* * *

Shiro was pacing the back of the ballroom in the castle.

" _Relax_ , dad, she'll be here," Lance told him.

"Lance is right. She loves you," Keith added. Lance and Keith had agreed to have a truce for the wedding.

"She's probably just sad," Pidge said perceptively.

"Weddings are supposed to be happy. Why would she be sad, Pidge?" Lance asked.

"I mean, think about it. Your dad is supposed to give you away at your wedding. Coran is great, but it's not the same. Not to mention, she's a princess. Her wedding would have been a public affair for the kingdom. Her people aren't here either. She must be feeling really lonely right now," Pidge explained.

"I hadn't even thought of that," Shiro murmured before taking off towards his fiancé's quarters.

* * *

Allura heard a gentle knock at the door. "Come in," she sniffed before gently wiping some tears from her eyes. She had expected it to be Coran, and was shocked to see it was the man she was supposed to marry.

"I thought it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," she teased half-heartedly.

"It's not if the bride is crying and the groom is worried about her," he said gently as he walked over to her and enveloped her into a hug. She smelled of flowers that Shiro could never place.

"I miss him so much," She whispered. "I always thought he'd be there to see me get married to the person I loved." She looked into his eyes, smiling a sad smile. "He would have loved you."

"I know I can't bring him back, but I do have something I thought you'd enjoy. I was going to save it for the reception, but I think it's best we do it now," he told her.

"Do what now?" She asked in confusion.

"I asked Coran to teach me about some of the Altean customs. Apparently there is a special courtship dance that I was supposed to do when I asked you to marry me?" Shiro said as he nervously scratched his neck. He bowed before straightening up and offering her his hand. "I'm not promising that I'll be any good at it, but Coran _did_ teach me how to do it. May I have this dance?"

Allura couldn't help but blush at his kindness. Maybe her culture _wasn't_ gone. She gently slipped her hand into his and let him pull her into him. He spun her in the traditional fashion before placing their hands palm against palm to continue the dance. Allura could feel the excitement come back into her. She was marrying this man, this amazing, wonderful man who cared for her more than anything.

"I'm the luckiest woman in the universe," she told him with a smile as he dipped her and the dance came to an end.

"And I am the luckiest man in the universe," he smiled as he righted her. He reached down to the bed to pick up her veil and crown before gently placing them on her head.

"I don't deserve to wear this crown. I'm not the princess of anything anymore," she murmured as she went to remove it again. However, Shiro stopped her.

"You're the princess of Altea. You wear that crown as a symbol of the people you have lost, the people whose lives are being lived out through you," he told her as he adjusted her crown. " Besides, you're the princess of my heart," he added with a smirk before offering her his arm, "Ready, Princess?"

"To marry you? _Always, Paladin_ ," she smiled as she looped her arm into his and walked with him to the ballroom. She didn't know how he'd done it, but he bridged the gap between their cultures and managed to make her smile. As they reached the door to the ballroom, he gave her a kiss on the cheek before lowering her veil over her face and passing her off to Coran.

* * *

"He truly loves you, you know," Coran told her as they watched Shiro walk back up the aisle and take his place next the paladins.

"I know," she smiled as she turned to look at her royal adviser.

"Alfor would have approved," he said as he turned forward. "Shall we?" Allura nodded and they proceeded towards the front. She was ready to take the first steps in her life with Shiro, and she knew deep down that Altea would be with her every step of the way.

* * *

 **A/N: Another one down.**


	3. Day 3: Duty Sacrifice

Allura didn't know what she was doing outside of Shiro's door. However, she had heard him from the hallway. She'd gone to get a glass of water when she'd heard a noise coming from his room.

She gently opened the door and stepped inside to find the Paladin on the floor backed into a corner. Cautiously, she approached him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Shiro, are you alright?"

* * *

Shiro wasn't thinking clearly. He'd been dreaming about Kerberos, but then he woke up and was in the Galra prison. He didn't like being exposed out in the open. It was better to have something against your back, it was easier to be defensive that way. He'd gone into the corner just in time. Someone had entered his cell and was walking toward him. _He had to attack_. He had to defend himself. His mechanical hand reached out and grabbed the guard around their throat.

* * *

Allura couldn't breathe. His hand was wrapped tightly around her neck, collapsing her windpipe. Her hands tried to pry his hand off her neck, but she was failing. She needed to do something to get through to him. Gently, she reached out and caressed his face.

* * *

The guard was stroking his face. _This wasn't right_. That _never_ happened. Shiro looked around the cell, only it _wasn't_ a cell. It was his room at the castle. He looked back to the guard, but the guard wasn't a Galra. It was Allura. Shiro's eyes widened as he let go. _What had he done?_

* * *

Allura collapsed to the floor as she gasped for air. Shiro knelt down in front of her, apologizing profusely. She waited until her breathing calmed before addressing him.

"Does this happen often?" she asked him.

"Every now and again," he replied as he sat on his bed. He offered her a hand to stand up. She took it and sat beside him.

"Why haven't you told anyone?" she whispered.

"I didn't want anyone to worry about me or look at me the way you are right now."

"I'm not looking at you with pity, if that's what you think. I'm concerned, alright? I care about you," she said gently as she placed her hand over his.

"I'm _dangerous_ , Allura. I could've killed you," he said.

"But you _didn't_."

"But I could have! If I hadn't snapped out of it in time, you would've been gone. I don't know if I could have lived with myself if I killed you," he whispered.

"What caused you to snap out of it?" she asked.

" _You_. You touched my face. The guards would never have done that, let alone done it so…" he trailed off as he fought to find the right word, "lovingly."

Allura could feel herself blush at his word choice. "Well, I'm glad it worked."

"Me too," he replied as he ran his fingers over her knuckles before bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing it.

"Shiro…" She sighed as his lips kissed up her arm. As his lips hit her shoulder, she couldn't take it anymore. She tilted his face towards her and kissed him. She kissed him as they fell back onto the bed. One of his hands slid into her freely flowing hair as the other trailed down her silken nightgown to rest on her hip. She straddled his lap as she kissed down his bare chest.

"Allura," Shiro groaned, "we can't be doing this. There's a war to be fought."

"But we're not fighting right now," she told him as she gently bit his neck, causing him to shiver.

"I'm your paladin. I can't fall in love with you," he said, mostly for himself.

"And I'm a princess. I can't fall in love with you, but I did," she told him.

"It is my duty to keep you safe. I can't do that without a clear head," he told her as he sat up.

Allura sighed. "You're right. I don't know what came over me. I do apologize, Shiro." She gently got up off his bed and walked towards his door. "Good night, Paladin," she said as she left.

* * *

Shiro sighed. He wanted her. Why did he push her away? He had to sacrifice his love life to be a defender of the universe. He couldn't afford to be her weakness, and he couldn't afford to have her be his. He already cared about her more than just a friend. Hell, he'd even go so far as to say he loved her, but to flame that love? That is something that neither of them could afford to do. They had a duty to the universe, a duty that was more important than their own happiness. That was why he pushed her away even though everything screamed for her to stay. He was her paladin, and she was his princess. Until the day that they defeat Zarkon, love is a sacrifice they will have to make.

* * *

 **A/N: Day 3 down, 4 to go.**


	4. Day 4: Distance, Journey

Allura had been flying for ten hours straight. The second she found out Shiro's coordinates, she'd hopped in a small ship and went after him. Coran had advised against it, of course, but she told him that they'd find the paladins quicker if they split up. That was how she found herself exiting a wormhole into an unknown galaxy. She knew she might not have suggested splitting up if she hadn't found Shiro first, though. He meant the world to her, and she was going to yell at him for risking the team just to get her back. It was foolish; they could've been killed. _Then how would they defend the galaxy?_ Allura sighed to herself. That wasn't the only reason she was traveling to him. He might've made a stupid decision, but she loved him. The black paladin had found a way to her heart somehow, and now she wasn't going to let him go. She had to know that he was okay. He _had_ to be okay.

* * *

Allura landed her ship on the planet where Shiro was supposed to be. It was a watery planet, peppered with islands, but mostly oceans. Her heart sank. What if he'd landed in the water? What if he'd drowned? _No_ , she had to stop thinking like that. She had come so far, was prepared to go further for him. She stepped out of the ship and began to wander the island. It wasn't long before she came upon areas where whole trees had been knocked down. She could smell the smoke from the charred land, indicating a nearby crash. She could see smoke in the distance and ran faster. Smoke accompanied fires. Fires usually meant crashes. Allura hoped her logic wasn't solid for once as she pushed branches out of the way as she ran towards the source. She broke into a clearing to see the black lion on its side with a fire burning nearby. She rushed into the mouth of the lion and crawled into the cockpit to find it empty.

She emerged and called out his name. "Shiro!"

Branches crunched as someone entered the clearing. She turned to face the newcomer to see Shiro standing there holding a stack of firewood. They stared at each other for a second before Shiro dropped the firework and ran towards her. "Allura, I thought I might not see you again," he said as he hugged her.

She hugged him back, before pulling apart and smacking his chest. " _That_ is for being so blatantly stupid and going after the main Galra fleet and facing Zarkon head on in his own territory. You could have gotten yourself or the others killed. Then how could we fight Zarkon?" She yelled.

"Well, if _you_ didn't throw me into the escape pod and left yourself then I wouldn't have had to rescue you," he pointed out as he leaned down closer.

"You didn't need to rescue me! I am not as important to the mission as the five of you are," she replied.

"The fact that you think of yourself as dispensable scares me sometimes. Because, you're not. You mean the world to us, _all of us_. You're all Coran has left of Altea. Voltron is important, but it's not all there is to life, Allura. You have to learn that sometime," he told her. He wasn't yelling, but he still spoke passionately. It was the closest to an argument the pair had ever come.

Shiro sighed, "Did you come all this way just to yell at me for saving you?"

"No, I came to rescue you. I figured we'd be even if I did," she smiled softly.

"Where's Coran and the others?" he asked.

"Three wormholes away," she responded with a wave of her hand.

"Why'd you come so far by yourself? That's dangerous. Zarkon could have kidnapped you again."

Allura sighed. She was tired from flying. "Shiro, I'd cross 20 wormholes to find you if I had to. You're special." She blushed as she realized what she'd said. She saw that he, too, was rosy cheeked.

"I'm sure you could find another paladin if you needed to. You could even pilot my lion if you had to," he recovered.

 _"Sometimes it worries me that you think of yourself as dispensable_ ," she teased.

"Hey, there are more where I come from. There's only _one_ Princess of Altea," he pointed out. "It's getting dark. My lion still needs a day to recharge. I activated some solar panels to help it recover faster, but it still won't be ready until tomorrow."

"I suppose we're stuck here for the night, then," she commented.

"I guess so," he replied as he picked up the fallen firewood. "And, Allura?"

"Yes, Shiro?"

"I'd break into Zarkon's ship a thousand times if it was to save you," he told her. "Our journey to free the universe has only just begun. It wouldn't feel right without you beside us at the end."

Allura was glad that it was too dark for him to see her blush. "I feel the same way about you. I'd throw you into a thousand more escape pods if I had to," she replied.

"Speaking of that throw… You have one heck of an arm," he laughed.

"Well, I could beat the simulator on the training deck on my first try when I was five…"

"Now you're just rubbing it in," he smirked as he put some firewood on the fire.

"I am not!"

"Oh, right, a princess never gloats. Just states facts about themselves, right?" he teased.

"Exactly. I'm glad to see that you're catching on," she told him as she walked towards where he was squatting. Due to the darkness, she tripped on a rock and fell forward, effectively pinning him to the ground. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around her waist. Her hair fell gently around them.

Shiro sucked in a breath as he looked up at her. "You're so beautiful," he said as his eyes trailed her face. His hand gently reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Allura's eyes trailed his face, "and you're handsome."

Shiro averted his gaze to the side as a blush spread across his cheeks. "Princess, can I kiss you?" he asked.

Instead of answering him, Allura leaned down and pressed her lips against his as her eyes fluttered closed. She kissed him gently at first, until his hands slid into her hair to pull her closer. He kissed her harder, putting all the worries he had about her into the kiss. He was so afraid of losing her to Zarkon. He was afraid she would be tortured, or worse still, made to fight in the coliseum. As they broke away for air, Shiro sat up, holding Allura to his chest as he did so.

"Don't ever make me worry like that again. I _know_ what Zarkon does to prisoners. I couldn't handle it if they had harmed you because I failed to protect you. Allura…" he trailed off as he hugged her, burying his head in her shoulder.

"Shiro, I love you," she whispered.

His head snapped up to look at her. "I love you, too," he told her before kissing her forehead. "You should get some sleep. You've had a long journey, and have flown a long distance."

"I'm fine," she replied as she yawned.

"Hello, fine, I'm Shiro and I say that you're going to get some sleep," he said, slightly proud of his "dad joke."

"Are you ordering a Princess around?" Allura asked with a pout.

"I guess I am," he said as he picked her up and tucked her into the makeshift bed he'd been using for the past few days. "Sleep well, Princess." He gently kissed her before going to stoke the fire. It was going to be a long night, but watching over her made it worth it. She was his princess, and he'd do anything for her.


	5. Day 5: Family

Allura was being quiet. She hadn't said a word through breakfast, and now she was staying silent again through lunch. After the other paladins went their separate ways for the afternoon, Shiro confronted Coran about the princess's strange behavior.

"Coran, is it me, or is Allura acting strange?" he asked the Altean advisor.

"Strange? How?" Coran responded as he stroked his mustache.

"She's been quiet. She almost always asks us what we've been doing and how we're feeling. Yet today she said nothing at all to anyone. She didn't even check in on our training. Something's definitely up," Shiro said.

"Oh. _That_ ," Coran replied. "You see, today is her father's birthday. I'd assume her silence is her way of grieving the loss. She's been spending a lot of time in the room where her father's memory used to be housed."

Shiro sighed. Of course she would be sad. He just wished he'd known about it. He wanted to do something for her, to comfort her in some way. What was the point of being in a relationship with someone if you couldn't help them when they needed it?

"Thanks, Coran," Shiro told the older Altean as he went to go find Allura.

* * *

She was sitting alone when he found her. Her knees were drawn to her chest; her chin was resting on her knees. Her back was facing towards him as he walked towards her, sitting down behind her and pulling her into his chest.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he sighed.

"I didn't want to bother you. I know you and the other paladins were busy training today. I didn't want to disrupt that," she responded.

"Allura, you know you're more important than one day of training," he told her as he kissed the top of her head.

"Coran told you, didn't he?" she asked.

"Well, I _did_ ask him about it. You've been quiet all day. I was worried," he replied as he started to stroke her hair.

"Do you ever miss them?"

"Miss whom?" he asked in confusion.

" _Your family._ The people you left back on Earth."

Shiro sighed. "Honestly? Sometimes I do, but I don't remember a lot about them. It's hard to miss something you can't remember. I know I have a family, I just…" Shiro struggled to find the right words, "I have a hard time remembering things from my past since the Kerberos mission."

Allura turned to face him, hugging him close to her. She breathed in the scent of him, the familiar smell of night. That was the only way she could explain it. He smelled of summer bonfires and earthy forests. If you closed your eyes you'd see a dark forest at night. It was comforting, grounding her to the moment, to the person there with her.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he told her as he kissed her cheek, "and I'm here for you whenever you need someone."

"I know," she said with a small smile.

"Do you think he would have liked me?" he asked her.

"If he knew you like I do, I know he would have loved you, too. He was always saying how he wanted me to be with someone who thought of me as an equal. You do that while still making me feel special," she explained.

"You _are_ special," he told her, "and not just because you're a princess. You're so strong and independent. You have a strong sense of justice and you aren't afraid to make the hard decisions. Hell, you threw me into an escape pod after deciding that it would be better for you to get captured than me, even though it was a stupid decision."

"It was not! One pilot of Voltron is more important than the princess of the castle of lions," she defended.

"Allura, I'll always think you're more important than I am, because you are important to me," he emphasized. The pair became quiet again, each lost in their own thought until Allura voiced the question that had been floating around in her mind.

"Shiro, do you ever think you'll get home?" she quietly asked.

"I am home," he replied, "home is where the people you love are. As long as I have you, Coran, and the team then I'm already home."

"You're my home, too," she whispered before turning her head to kiss him. It wasn't a passionate kiss, just a sweet kiss that showed she meant her words. Shiro blushed as his eyes fluttered closed to kiss her back. As they broke apart, he hugged her into his chest and lifted her up, bridal style, as he stood.

"I'm sure the others are wondering where we are by now," he told her.

"I can walk, you know," she said with a mock frown.

"I know, but you're my princess and I want to treat you as such on occasion," he smirked.

"Well, then by all means… faster!" she chuckled as Shiro obliged and broke into a fast walk. Her spirits lifted, her love reassured, she was ready to face the rest of the day with a smile on her face.

* * *

 **A/N: Well guys, day 5! I'm almost done.**


	6. Day 6: Space, fantasy

Allura was being very patient with her child. It wasn't Wren's fault that she was just at _that_ _age_. You know the age, the age where bed time is something that is seen as a terrible thing and the child is worried about going to bed and missing out on all the fun. Oh, yes. Wren was just at that age.

"Wren, I don't know what more I can do to get you to go to sleep," Allura sighed. She'd gotten her daughter a drink, tucked her in, and sang her an old Altean lullaby. There wasn't anything else she could think of to do.

"Mommy, I want a story," the small six year-old replied in her half-accent. She was a daddy's girl wrapped in the trappings of her mother. She was a half-breed, but she retained the likable traits of both the Altean and human genes. Wren really was a beautiful child.

"What kind of story?" Allura asked as she laid down next to her daughter. Bedtime was always much easier with Shiro, but tonight he was working late. He'd picked up an extra shift at the police station so Lance could study for his finals. Allura always found it funny that Shiro's coworkers called him "dad." However, it was times like these where her husband went out of his way to help them that she could see why they gave him that nickname.

"I want a fairy tale in space!" Wren said with stars in her eyes.

"A space fairy tale? Like _Star Wars_?" Allura asked thoughtfully. She squinted her eyes as she tried to figure out just what to tell her daughter. She didn't know any Altean stories that sounded like that… except maybe the story of Voltron and how she met Shiro. She was a princess, princesses were in fairy tales. They had lived in space. That counted, right?

"Alright. One story, and then you're going to bed," Allura said as she got into a more comfortable position to tell her story. "Once upon a time, in a faraway region of space, one man tried to control the universe. He was cruel and horrible, taking over planets and whole galaxies through his quest for power. The universe feared him."

"Who was he, mommy?" Wren asked as she pulled the covers up to her nose.

"Zarkon. The people were scared that they would never be free from his reign, as it had already lasted 10,000 years and involved the destruction of countless realms, including Altea," Allura continued.

"Mommy, isn't Alteea where you're from?" Wren said. She had heard her mother talk of a place known as Altea on many occasions.

"Yes, it is, sweetheart," Allura smiled before continuing, "Little did the universe know, there was a group of five who could defeat Zarkon, for they were the pilots of Voltron, only they didn't know it at first. In fact, they found out their true identities by accident. They were just a bunch of normal high school students at a school for pilots and crews when a man fell from the sky."

Wren gasped, "was he hurt?!"

"No, he had escaped from Zarkon's grasp and came back to his home, back to Earth, to warn the others about the warlord threatening to take over the galaxy. The teens found the man and saved him from being held prisoner in his own land due to his arm," Allura said.

"What was wrong with his arm, mommy?" Wren asked.

"His arm had been replaced by a druid witch in space. It now was a powerful weapon that he himself didn't quite know how to use yet. Due to the dangerous nature of the aliens and the fact that none of the scientists on Earth knew anything about his arm, they were afraid of him. However, the kids knew the man as a hero and decided to save him. They broke into where they were keeping the man and stole him away. Once he was awake, he told the kids about where he'd come from, and that the aliens were looking for a robot called Voltron. One of the teens, a fiery tempered boy, had found something odd in the rocks nearby. After deciding that it may lead to the robot, they decided to go search for it."

""Fiery tempered' isn't that what you call Uncle Keith?" Wren chuckled.

Allura smiled, "I guess I do call him that, don't I? Well, anyways, they came across a cave full of markings that looked like a lion. One of the teens moved to touch the wall, causing the markings to light up as the floor gave out beneath them."

"THEY FELL?" Wren asked incredulously as she sat up in bed.

"They didn't fall too hard, and they landed in water, so they were okay. When they stood up, they saw a giant blue lion robot sitting in front of them," Allura said.

"WOAAAAH! Is that Voltron?" Wren asked excitedly.

"Not quite. The five of them were shown a vision of five lions that connect together to form a robotic man. _That_ , Wren, is Voltron," Allura explained.

"Mommy, I want a Voltron," Wren said.

"You haven't even heard the rest of the story. Maybe you'll want something else afterwards," Allura teased before continuing, "The lion let them aboard and took them off into space. They travelled through wormholes, fought some of Zarkon's fleet, and finally landed in front of a palace."

"IS THAT WHERE THE PRINCESS LIVES?" Wren said.

"Yes, but they didn't know that yet. The five of them walked into the palace, following a trail of lights that led to an open room. Suddenly, out of the floor, two healing pods emerged," Allura said ominously. She was really getting into it.

"What's a healing pod?" Wren asked in confusion.

"It's like… Well. I suppose it's like a little tiny room, about the size of your closet that heals people when they're hurt or sick," Allura explained to the best of her ability.

"That sounds useful," Wren nodded.

"Oh, it is. It's able to heal people, or to just keep them in a state of homeostasis until the pod is reopened. Which is exactly what happened here," Allura explained, "As one of the pods opened, a woman fell out onto the pilot of the blue lion. Since he was a very, _very_ flirtatious man, he tried to flirt with the woman, however she just tackled him to the floor."

"Mommy, isn't that how you met Uncle Lance? He tried to hit on you after you woke up from a long nap. Or at least that's what daddy says," Wren shrugged.

"I suppose that is how I met Uncle Lance," Allura blushed. It really _was_ a weird meeting. "Finally, the other pod opened, revealing a man with a mustache. He had been the King's advisor, which is why he was put in the pod to take care of the princess once she woke up. Now that the two were awake, they learned that they had been asleep for _10,000 years_. Their planet, Altea, was gone, and Zarkon had conquered most of the known universe. It was then that the princess told the five Earthlings that they were the paladins of Voltron. The blue pilot already had his lion. Now it was up to the others to find theirs in order to form Voltron. The yellow paladin went off with the blue paladin, and the green paladin went off with the man."

"What color was the man? And what about the last paladin? You said there were _five_ , but only _four_ of them left," Wren pointed out as she counted on her hands.

"Very observant, my little one. The man was the black paladin, and the red paladin stayed behind because they didn't know where his lion was yet," Allura explained as she booped her daughter on the nose. "After the others returned with their lions, they learned that the red lion was on one of Zarkon's ships that was now headed towards the castle."

"Oh, no! How are they gonna form Voltron with only four lions?" Wren gasped. "Who will protect the princess?"

Allura scoffed, " _The princess could take care of herself, I'll have you know_."

"But, Wren is right. The heroes sound like they're running out of luck," A voice said from behind them. Allura turned to see her husband leaning on the door frame to Wren's room.

"Daddy!" The little girl exclaimed.

"I see you've been giving your mother some trouble tonight. How'd you sucker a story out of her this time?" Shiro smirked.

"I told her that I wouldn't go to bed until I got one," Wren replied with pride.

"She's almost as stubborn as you are," Shiro said to his wife as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, I know, and you're _not_ helping me get her to sleep. The only thing you're doing right now is interrupting my story," Allura sighed in frustration.

"Well, if you're not including the sound effects then you're not telling it correctly. I have yet to hear a 'BLAM! BLAM!' thrown around," he mock chided.

"Oh really? I thought the correct sound was PITCHEW PITCHEW," Allura laughed.

"MOMMY, CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO THE STORY?" Wren whined. "I wanna know what happens to the paladins."

"Well," Shiro said as he took over, "they came up with a plan. The yellow and blue paladins were going to pretend to give up their lions while the green paladin was going to sneak aboard the ship with the red and black paladin to find the other lion. After they were aboard, the yellow and blue paladins would stop pretending and attack the ship while they found the other lion. Only, the plan changed. Pidge wanted to see if her father and brother were onboar-" Shiro was cut off by Allura whacking his chest.

"AUNT PIDGE IS A VOLTRON PALADIN?" Wren said in disbelief, "Does that mean that… Okay. So the red one sounded _a lot_ like Uncle Keith, and the blue one _has_ to be Uncle Lance because he flirts with everybody, according to Uncle Keith and Aunt Pidge anyways. That means… the yellow one must be Uncle Hunk since he always wears yellow. AND UNCLE CORAN HAS A MUSTACHE SO HE MUST BE THE KING'S ADVISOR," Wren said as she worked it all out. Her logic seemed sound to her. Allura and Shiro shared a look between themselves. "But then… who's the black paladin? And who's the Princess?"

It was then that Wren turned to look at her parents, and _really_ look at them. She took in her father's arm, how the metal clashed with the skin of the rest of his body. Then, she looked at her mom, noticing for once how her ears were different from anyone else's that she knew besides Uncle Coran. Her eyes went wide as all the puzzle pieces clicked into place. " _You're the princess and the black paladin_ ," she whispered.

"Yes," Allura answered as she sighed. She wasn't prepared to have this talk with Wren. She knew her daughter would have so many questions and she didn't want her daughter to think poorly of herself because she was different than the rest of the kids her age.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" Wren exclaimed. "Wait… Mommy, does this mean… that we have Voltron?!"

"Actually, Uncle Coran has Voltron in the castle," Shiro explained.

" _Shiro_!" Allura scolded.

"WAIT!" Wren said interrupting what was about to be an argument about how Wren shouldn't be told these things at such a young age. "What happened to the paladins?"

"Well, long story short?" Shiro asked.

"Long story short," Wren nodded as she yawned.

"Uncle Keith found the red lion, we headed back to the castle and got my lion. Then we somehow formed Voltron and attacked Sendak's ship, destroying it and living another day," Shiro told Wren.

"What about Zarkon?" Wren asked sleepily. All the excitement was taking it's toll.

"We continued to fight him for a few years before finally defeating him," Shiro said as he tucked his daughter in.

"Good. Evil men shouldn't be allowed to rule the universe," Wren mumbled before snuggling into her pillow, "Night, mommy. Night, daddy."

"Good night, Wren," Allura said as she took Shiro's hand and let him pull her off the bed. They made their way to the doorway, shutting the light before leaving. After they left, Wren turned and looked up at her ceiling. Unbeknownst to her parents, she'd placed glow in the dark stars on her ceiling, spelling out the word "Voltron." She had heard it whispered around her house by her parents and their friends. Up until now, she was convinced that it was some sort of guardian angel. She was just finally glad that she knew what it really was. Defender of the universe definitely sounded better than guardian angel.


	7. Day 7: Change, Beginnings

It'd been a month since they defeated Zarkon and freed the universe from his control. Now, they were finally returning the paladins back to Earth. Allura was watching them all leave from the window in her room when there was a knock at her door.

* * *

"Come in," She sighed. She expected it to be Coran, and so she responded as such. "Coran, prepare to take off in an hour."

"You're leaving?" Shiro asked. She turned to face the paladin she'd grown to love as he stared at her in disbelief.

"There's nothing for me here. I've turned your lives upside-down enough for one lifetime. It isn't fair for me to impose upon your planet," she explained. Shiro crossed the room towards her and pulled her into him.

"Allura, I want you to stay. No, I _need_ you to stay," he whispered.

"Shiro…" she began.

"Allura, I don't have anyone. The paladins all have families, even Keith got adopted into Lance's family as his 'plus one.' Pidge has her father and brother back. Hunk has his family. Me? You're all I have. You're my family, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Coran and I are your family, too. I'm asking you to stay here, with me," he said as he held her tightly.

"Alright, I'll stay," she smiled. Maybe Earth wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

And it wasn't so bad. Allura found that there were a lot of things about the planet that she liked. She loved fireflies and star gazing at a different set of constellations. Shiro had taught her all about the constellations. However, she just didn't feel like she fit in anywhere. It wasn't her planet. Everything was new and different. She found herself messing up, even being made fun of by the earthlings who lived there. She just didn't belong, and she didn't know where she would ever belong. Her planet was gone; her people were gone. It had been such a hard week that Allura thought that maybe she should join them. Earth had no need for an Altean princess. It was that thought that sent Allura back into the castle of lions, about to board one of her transport vessels. Her foot had barely touched the bottom step of the entrance when she heard footsteps running towards her.

* * *

"Allura!" Shiro called after her. She paused and turned to face him with all the courage she could muster.

"Shiro, what are you doing here?" she asked.

" _What the hell is this?_ " He asked as he held out the note she'd written and began to read, "'Shiro, I apologize, but this just might be too big of a change for me to handle. I'm only holding you back, you'd be better without me.' Allura, what is this?" His voice was sad. She could sense it. The hurt, the disappointment.

"Shiro, I'm just making life difficult for you. I started a fire in our kitchen yesterday," she said pointedly.

"Lance has done that before. That doesn't mean you have to go away," Shiro replied. "Look, Allura, I know it's a big change to be on a permanent planet, but you're more than up for the challenge."

"How do you _know_?" she whispered.

"How do I know? Because I know you. I know the strong princess that whipped us all into shape to fight Zarkon, the fearless woman who wasn't afraid to be captured by the Galra if it meant saving me," he responded. His voice got softer as he walked towards her. He pulled her into his arms and held her close, drinking in the smell of space flowers. The scent was fading, but it was still there. "I know, it's difficult, but don't think of it as a change. Think of it as a beginning."

"The beginning of what?" she asked as she looked up at him. Shiro smiled and got down on one knee, pulling a box out of his jumpsuit. He opened it to reveal a small triangular pink diamond.

"The beginning of us. Allura, will you marry me?" Shiro asked hopefully. Allura stood there for a moment, stunned. She loved Shiro, and she knew Shiro loved her, but she hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected him to be willing to fight for them to be together. Silent tears began to stream down her face as she realized how stupid she'd been. She was about to give up a lifetime of happiness with the man she loved over a week of failed adjustment. Shiro's brow crinkled in worry as he stood up, pocketing the ring. His gently placed his hands on either side of her face and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"Hey, it's okay. It'll all be okay," Shiro said softly before kissing her forehead. Allura's hands moved to cover his as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Shiro, I'm so sorry," she whispered, "I love you so much. I just thought I was being a burden. I know it's been a hard week for both of us."

"It'll get better, Allura. It was only the first week. That is, if you'll stay," he said.

"Shiro, I'll stay, and I'll marry you. I know I'll be able to make it living here if I have you by my side," she smiled. Her words finally sunk into Shiro as he smiled a wide smile before kissing her deeply. His arms wrapped around her waist as her arms wrapped around his neck. They broke apart and he spun her around, causing them both to laugh.

"Allura, you may not be a princess of Earth, but you'll always be the princess of my heart."

* * *

 **A/N: And that, my lovelies, is how I'm ending the week. See you all in a week when I update Lions Among Men.**


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